Self-filling device for pens



Nov. 23 1926.

C. HARDY SELF FILLING DEVICE FOR PENS Filed March 6, 1926 INVENTORCharles Hardg A RNEY:

Patented Nev. 23, 1926.

warren s'rrse rarer orrics.

CHAR-LES HARDY, 01? NEW YGRK, Y., ASSIGNQR T0 AItZSCO PRGDUCTS, INC.,0]? HEW' YOR I, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. I

SELF-FILLING DEVICE FOR PENS.

Application filed March 6 1926.

This invention relates to fountain pens, and has special reference tothe provision of an improved self-filling device for fountain pens.

A principal object of my present invention comprehends .the provision ofan improved self-filling device for fountain pens of the type embodyinga lever fulcrumed in the pen barrel and movable for actuating the sackdeflating presser bar of the fountain pen filling mechanism. In knownfountain pen fillers of this type the lever is located in a longitudinalslot in the pen barrel and is fulcrumed either directly in the walls ofthe barrel slot or in a frame member which is attachable to for liningthe said slot walls; and in the latter form of construction the leverand frame member are joined to constitute a unitary device which isremovably attachable to the pen barrel as a unit.

WVhen the lever of the filling device is mounted or fulcrumed directlyin the walls of the slot the slot walls are exposed; and in some formsof construction, notably when the barrel is made from a cellulosematerial, the exposed edges of the slot walls are unavoidably rough anduneven and present an unsightly appearance. In the form of con structionwherein the lever is fulcrumed in and carried on the frame member,forming therewith a unitary attachment for the barrel the exposed wallsor edges of the slot are in part concealed by the frame member thusovercoming the disadvantage of the form of construction in which thelever is fulcrumed directly in the slot walls; but this unitary leverand frame assembly construction possesses other disadvantages incidentparticularly to the manufacture and use of the same. In the manufactureof these units the level must first be assembled on the frame member,and this is usually accomplished by inserting a hinge pintle or pivotpin through the lever andside walls of the frame member and affixingsaid pivot pin onto the frame member, the assembling of these partsbeing a difficult operation requiring manipulative skill the especiallyto the comparatively small dimensions of the parts or elements handled.In use the small hinge pintle or pivot-pin is placed under a substantialstrain when the lever is moved to presser bar actuating position, andthis results in the gradual distortion and loosening of the hingepintle, with Serial No. 92,763.

presser bar actuating lever is mounted or fulcrumed directly in thewalls of the barrel slot while the said lever is associated with a framemember arranged in the slot for lining the exposed edge walls thereof,the frame member and lever comprising independent clementsseparatelyattachable to the barrel of the pen, and associated so that the parts ofthe self-filling device may be assembled on the pen barrel with facilityand rapidity and without. the manipulative skill of 'an operator and sothat either of the lever and frame member elements is capable of beingdetached from the pen barrel for replacement or other purposes withoutdisturbing the integrity of or detaching the other element from the penbarrel; the further provision of an improved self-filling device of thisnature in which the lever is ruggedly fulcrumed in the pen barrelbymeans which may be readily inserted through the slot for detachablyattaching the lever to the pen barrel; and the still further provisionof an improved self-filling device of the nature referred to in whichthe parts are capable of being manufactured from sheet material byquantity production methods to produce an efficient self-filling devicesaleable at a low figure.

To-the accomplishment of the foregoing and suchother objects as mayhereinafter appear, my invention consists in theelements and theirrelation one to the other, as hereinafter particularly described andsought to be defined in the claims; reference being had to -theaccompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiments of myinventiqn, andin which:

Fig.- i. a top view of a pen barrel showing the self-filling device ofmy invention assembled thereon,

Fig? 2 is a longitudinal clcvationa-l view thereof taken incross-section in the plane of the line 2'-2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view thereof taken in cross-section in the planeof the line 3-3, Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view thereof showing the manner of assembling ordisassembling the parts or elements of the selffilling device, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the pen barrel and partsshowing a modification Referring now more in d tail to the drawings, andmore particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, the improved self-fillingmechanism of my invention generally desipnated as A is shown ailixed toa fountain pen generally designated as B, the said fountain pencomprising a barrel 10, a removable pencarrying member 11 which may bereceived by the barrel with a slip or screw fit, the said'pen-carryingmember having attached thereto the usual ink-carrying def atable sack 12with which cooperates a prese'er bar 13 of an suitable construction thesame being shown as a resilient member removably receivable by the innerwall of the barrel 10, the said presser bar being a longitudinalengagement with the ink sack 12 for depressing anddeflating the samewhen operated by the self-filling mechanism A.

As heretofore stated the prim-e object of the invention centers aboutthe provision of a self-filling mechanism of the fulcrum lever type inwhich the lever for actuating the presser bar is mounted or fulcrumeddirectly in the walls of the barrel slot while the said lever isassociated with a frame member arranged in the slot for lining theexposed edge walls thereof, the frame member and lever comprisingindependent elements which are separately attachable to the barrel ofthe pen and are associated so that the parts of the self-filling devicemay be assembled on the pen barrel with facility and rapidity andwithout that manipulative skill required in mechanism of priormanufacture, the construction being, moreover, such that either of thelever and frame member elements capable of being detached from the penbarrel without detaching the other element from the pen barrel. Toaccomplish these results, the self-filling device A comprises a framemember 1 1 located in an elongated slot 15 provided in the wall of thepen barrel and attachable to the barrel as a separate element andpresser bar actuating lever 16 independent of the frame member 14located in said slot 15 and mounted between the side walls of the framemember, the said lever being fulcrumed in the walls of the slot in amanner to be described more particularly hereinafter, the lever and itsfulcrun'ilug means being also attachable as a rep arate element to thepen barrel.

--The se arable frame member 1 1 is preferably made of a single sheet ofmaterial shap-ed'or formed to include a top marginal lip portion 11extending about three walls of the frame, as clearly shown in the drawings, and which functions to line the exposed edge walls 17, 17 of theslot 15, the frame member being attachable to the barrel by means of aplurality of spaced integral bottom lugs 18, 18 preferably two on eachside of the frame, whichlugs areinturned into engagement with'th-e innerwalls of thebarrel at the slot or opening by means of a suitableimplement manipulated from within the barrel after the frame member isplaced or inserted in the slot. The frame member further includes anintegral bridging por tion 19 for bracing the frame structure and gforming a suitable stop member for the lever 16, as shown for example inFig. 2 of the drawing.

T he lever 16 is also preferably made from sheet ictal formed to definean arm 20 for ridingly engaging the presser bar 13 and arm 21 adapted tobe manipulated by the ringer of the operator for actuating the selfilling device, the said lever being provided with registering aperturesthe means for fnlcruming the lever in the w ll of the pen barrel 10.Preferably the means for fulcruming' the lever is designed so as topermit the lever to be readily attached to and detached from the penbarrel, the fulcruminc; means consisting of an expansively resi lentring 23 which is readily inserted through the apertures 22, the. saidring fulcruming means being received by and seatable in acircumferential channel or groove 24 provided in the inner wall of thebarrel 10; The lever 16 and fulcruming means 23 together form a unit orelement which is attachable to the. barrel independentlv of theattachment of the frame 22 for receiving member thereto.

The parts of the self-filling device may be quickly and separatelyassembled onto the barrel by first attaching the frame member lein themanner described and by then inserting the spring ring 23 sidewise intothe slot 15, and by thereafter turning the lever to snap the spring ringinto pos tion in the circumferentialgroo e 24;. To associate the partstopermit the independent attachment of the frame member and the; actuatinglever and to permit either of these separate ele ments to be detachedfrom the barrel without disconnesting or detaching the other of theelements, the side walls of the fra ie member 14lare open ngly cutawayas at 25 about the portion of the fizlcruming' ring which bridges thegap or slot 15; and by means of this construction it willbe seen iii.-

that the lever 16 and its fulcrum ring 23 may be inserted in the slotand mounted in position after the frame member has been at tached to thebarrel, and it will be further ween that the frame member may then bedetached if desired without affecting the in tegrity of mounting ofthe'lever element and that moreover the lever and its fulcruming meansmay be detached and withdrawn from the slot without dismantling ordisconnect ing the frame member.

By means of this recited construction,

therefore, it will be evident that the separable parts of theself-filling device may be quickly and efficiently attached to the penbarrel without the exercise of any manipulative skill and without thenecessity of handling the pivot pins or hinge pintles of smalldimensions. It will be further evident that should the lever becomebroken in use, the same maybe detached and replaced by a new leverelement without the necessity of removing the frame member, thuseconomizing in the cost of replacement of parts. The frame member letis, moreover, capable of being constructed out of sheet metal so as tocomp etely line, cover or conceal the marginal edge Walls of the slot oropening 15, this being especially desirable where the pen barrel isfashioned or made from celluloid or the like,t-he edge walls thereofbeing subject to uneven contraction and expansion and presenting anunsightly appearance. Moreover, by means of the construction providedthe lever is ruggedly fulcrumed in the pen barrel without weakening thewalls of the barrel, a strong and durable constmctioirbeing therebyproduced.

Referring now to Fig. 5 of the drawings, 1 show a modification orimprovement in which means are provided for serving as a motion-limitingdevice for the presser bar actuating lever, the parts of theself-filling device being otherwise the same as that shown in Figs. 1 toa of the drawings and being designated by like reference characters. Forlimiting the motion of the lever 16 in one direction without interferingwith the se-parably detaching functions of the lever element and theframe element, I prefer to provide a second expansible resilient ringmember 26 seated in a circumferential or annular groove 27, a portion ofsaid ring 26 bridging the slot 15, the said ring being so disposedrelatively to the lever 16 as to form a stop member therefor to limitthe motion of the lever in the sack deflating position, as shown clearlyin Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The manner of making and using the selffilling device of my inventionand the advantages thereof will in the main be fully apparent from theabove detailed description thereof. It will further be apparent thatwhile I have shown and described my thereof, a frame member lining theexposed edge walls of the slot, said frame member being attachable as aseparate element to the barrel, an ink sack in the barrel, a presser barfor deflating the sack, a presser bar actuating lever independent of theframe n'iember located in said slot and mounted between the side wallsof-the frame member, and means fulcruming thelever in the side walls ofthe slot, said fulcruming means and lover being also attachable as aseparate element to the barrel.

2. A fountain pen comprising a barrel provided with an elongated slot ina wall thereof, a frame member lining the walls of the slot, said framemember being removably, attachable as a separateelement to the barrel,an ink sack in the barrel, a presser bar for deflating the sack, apresser bar actuating device independent of and separable from the framemember located in said slot and mounted between" the side walls of theframe member, and means fulcruming the actuating device in the sidewalls of the clot, said fulcrun'iing means and actuating device beingalso removably attachable as a separate element to the barrel.

3. A fountain pen comprising abarrel provided with an elongated'slot ina wall thereofl-a frame member in said slot attachable a a separateelement to the barrel, the

attaching means for the frame member includinga top marginal-lip portionlining the exposed edge walls of the slot and bottom lugs 'inturned intoengagement with the walls of the slot, an ink sack in the barrel, apres'jer bar for deflating the sack, a presser bar actuating leverindependent of the frame member located in said slot and mounted betweenthe side walls of the frame member, and means fulcruming the lever inthe walls of the slot, said fulcruming means and lever being alsoattachable as a separate element to the barrel, the side walls of saidframe member being cut out about said fulcruming means so that either ofsaid separate elements may be detached from the barrel and withdrawnfrom the slot without disconnecting or detaching the other of saidseparate elements.

4. A fountain pen comprising a barrel provided with an elongated slot ina wall thereof, a frame member in said slot, said frame member beinginsertible in the slot and attachable as a separate element to thebarrel, an ink sack in the barrel, a presser bar for deflating the sack,a presser bar actuating lever independent of the frame mem ber locatedin said slot and mounted between the side ."LlllS of the frame member,the .in- 11621 Wall of the barrel being provided with a circumferentialgroove, and a 'lfulcruming ring for the lever seated in said groove,said fulcruming ring and lever being also insertible through the slotand attachable as a separate element to the barrel.

5. In combination With a fountain pen barrel having an elongated slot ina Wall thereof, a frame member in said slot lining the exposed edgeWalls of the slot, said frame member being insertible in the slot andattachable to the barrel as a separate element, a presser bar actuatingdevice independent of the frame member located in said slot and mourtedbetween the side Walls of the frame member, and means fulcruming theactuating. device in the slot Walls of the barrel, the fulcruming meansand actuating device being also insertible through the slot andattachable as a separate element to the barrel, the side Walls of saidframe member being openingly cut away about said fulcruming means sothat either of said separate elements may be detached from the barrelWithout detaching the other of said separate elements from the barrel.

6. In combination With a fountain pen barrel having an elongated slot ina Wall thereof, a frame member in said slot lining the exposed edgeWalls of the slot, said frame member being insertible in the slot and attachable tothe barrel as a separate clement, presser bar actuating leverindependent of the frame member located in said slot and .mountedbetween the side Walls of the frame of said barrel being provided With acircum cruming ring so that either of said separate elements may bedetached from the barrel and Withdrawn from the slot Without detachingthe other of said separate elements from the barrel.

7. In combination with a fountain pen barrel having an elongated slot ina Wall thereof, aframe member in said slot lining the exposed edge wallsof the slot, said frame member being insertible in the slot andattachable to the barrel as a separate element, a presser bar actuatinglever independent of the frame member located in said slot and mountedbetween the side Walls of the frame member, a ring seated in an innergroove of the barrel fulcruming the actuating lever in the slot walls ofthe barrel, the fulcruming ring and actuating lever being alsoinsertible through theslot and attachable as a separate element to thebarrel, the side walls of said frame member being openingly cut awayabout asid fulcruming ring so that either of said separate elements maybe detached from the barrel Without detaching the other of said.separate elements, and a second ring seated in an inner groove of thebarrel. bridging said slot, the saidsecond ring being disposedrelativelyxto the said lever and its fulcruming ring to form a motionlimiting device or stop for said lever in its operative orsack-deflating position.

Signed atNeW Yorlr city, in the county of New York and State of New Yorkthis 17th day of February, A. D. 1926.

CHARLES HARDY.

